Bengaluru, Aug 24 (DHNS): Veerashaiva-Lingayat seers came together on Wednesday and demanded a 12-15% reservation for the community, while intensifying their demand for a separate religion status.

Pontiffs representing the influential Panchapeeta Maths as well as several other independent Maths of the Basavadisharana tradition had gathered under the banner of Veerashaiva-Lingayat Coordination Committee at a convention hall in Vijayanagar here.

A delegation of seers later met Chief Minister Siddaramaiah at his home office Krishna and submitted a memorandum. The chief minister already has two representations — one to declare Veerashaiva-Lingayat as an independent religion and another to declare Lingayat as a separate religion.

The row has created a rift within the ruling Congress, with leaders taking opposite sides. “There are several subsects under Veerashaiva-Lingayat. They are presently under the 3B category with a 5% reservation. Instead, they should be classified under 2A or a new category altogether with a reservation of 12-15% proportional to the population of Veerashaiva-Lingayats,” was one of the decisions taken at the meeting.

Seers also resolved to support the Akhila Bharata Veerashaiva Mahasabha’s stand that Veerashaivas and Lingayats are one and the same. “Veerashaiva-Lingayat is a sanatana dharma. There is no provision under the Constitution to declare one sect under this religion as a religion in itself,” it was decided, with reference to the counter demand for Lingayat to be declared as an independent religion.

Prasanna Renuka Veera Someshwara Swami of the Rambhapuri Math, Channa Siddarama Panditaradhya Swami from Srishaila Peeta, Siddalinga Raja Deshikendra Swami from Ujjain and Chandrashekhar Shivacharya Swami from the Kashi Peeta, were among the participants.

The convention also resolved to urge the government to set up free hostel facilities in every taluk and district centre for poor Veerashaiva-Lingayat students. Also, it was decided to ask the government to provide merit scholarships and set up civil service training centres for students of the community.